Penance
by Faurphen
Summary: In Thais, following Ahriman's defeat, Rhen still wallows in the days when she was not yet queen. Driven by his love for his queen, Dameon permits Rhen to leave and go questing again. Left alone with nothing but rumors of Rhen's new adventures, Dameon believes this is his penance.


"Look at her," Rhen whispered. It was as if she did not want the newborn to hear her as she cradled the little princess in her arms. "She will not know a life aside from being princess and queen."

Upon hearing her say so, Dameon realized that the tears his wife shed were not purely brought by the joy of childbirth. Rhen pitied their daughter for being bound to royalty from birth to death.

"We will raise her duly," though he tried to sound reassuring, Dameon could not even convince himself that he has reassured his queen.

Rhen smiled knowingly. She knew her husband meant well, but also knew how he truly felt. She gently caressed her daughter's sparse hair and kissed the child's forehead. Not everyone understands the misery in royalty.

They have been married for three years now. All their friends have been living their own lives apart from each other. Marge has returned to her unruly tavern; John has not set sail—or got in trouble—ever since he wed Elini; Tei'jal is back in Ghed'ahre with her newly-made vampire husband, Galahad; and Lars has pursued being High Sorcerer.

Oftentimes, Dameon would catch his wife gazing afar at nothing in particular. After their daughter was born, Rhen would go into such trances more often and in longer periods of time too. Though the little princess would distract her mother from her reverie, Dameon could see the pity in his wife's eyes whenever she looks at their child. How he wished he could turn a blind eye to this, but Dameon knew he could not take away the longing from his young bride.

One night, Dameon woke up alone on the bed he shares with Rhen. For many nights now, he has been aware of the queen's late night trips. _'There is no other man,'_ Dameon would tell himself, and he took it for truth. Tonight, though, his mind screamed at him to find out whether or not his queen has a regular rendezvous.

The first place where he sought his wife was the balcony. However, the curtains were drawn tight and the shutters were closed fast. Neither queen nor no stranger could have passed to and from the place, and neither was there a trace of anyone at the balcony. Dameon then proceeded to the nursery, hoping to find his wife with their child in her arms. However, Rhen was not there too, and the princess slept soundly in her cot. Here, worry began to flood his heart.

The rogues and bandits of the Blasted Lands could be blackmailing the queen. The monsters of the Dark Caverns must have dragged her to their lair. There could have been an assassin. With these thoughts haunting his mind, the king frantically searched every room he could in the castle. He was about to alert the guards as he passed the treasure room until he heard a faint clanging coming from its closed doors. Thinking of nothing but his beloved wife, Dameon rushed into the treasure room and found the doors ajar.

Rhen was there, clothed in the armour that she kept in the treasure room after Ahriman's defeat. On one hand, she clasped the Shield of Madness, on the other she gripped the Sword of Light. She made the blade sing the Melody of the Sun and an ethereal golden light emerged from the sword to fill the room. At that moment, Dameon did not behold Queen Rhen Pendragon of Thais. The woman holding the sword of power is Rhen Darzon of Clearwater, tailor's daughter and accomplished sword singer. All these nights, Dameon realized his wife has been reliving her great adventures.

' _I should have known,'_ Dameon thought to himself. Rhen did not grow up behind castle walls, adorned by crown and dressed in luxurious gown. The air his wife breathed most blew in the western highlands, on the green grass of which she has frolicked. Dameon had seen Rhen at her best and happiest. Those moments were when she wielded the sword and not the sceptre. He knew that though she is married to him, Rhen is bound to the spirited quests of the vast world of Aia and even beyond. He should have known he had deceived himself into thinking that she will adjust well to the life of a queen.

"My king, are you sure this is wise?" The Chancellor asked as the Tehyor dragon beat its massive wings in the air above the castle grounds.

"The queen is young," Dameon replied. "She is full of will and energy which only questing can satisfy."

The elder man sighed. "Much like her mother," he remarked. "When she was a princess herself, the Queen Alicia ran off on a quest with King Devin and your mother, the Dreamer Talia. But she was a princess then." The Chancellor added, "Alicia settled down when she became queen."

Dameon shot the Chancellor an authoritative look.

The Chancellor bowed his head, somewhat embarrassed. "Of course, I mean no disrespect, Your Highness."

Dameon drew a deep breath. "Rhen did not grow up here," he said. "She was raised as a village girl, and was made a slave before she became a sword singer. Unlike her mother, Queen Rhen was barely a princess when she was told she had to be queen."

"Indeed, Your Highness."

Rhen appeared in the castle grounds. She has donned the sword singer outfit and her best armour over it. The Swords of Power clinked as she walked with sure strides. This is the woman with whom Dameon fell in love—the beautiful but deadly sword singer and not the reluctant queen.

"I will need a healer, Dameon," Rhen said with a smile. It was her final invitation. Many times his queen attempted to convince the former druid to come with her.

Dameon smiled back and politely shook his head. "My dear, we both know I cannot. Thais would be left in want of a ruler, and our daughter in want of a parent."

Rhen nodded with melancholy and understanding. She stepped closer to him and placed a hand over his arm. "It was worth a try." She said, and leaned in to kiss him.

"Goodbye, dear queen." Dameon whispered as he pulled away from the kiss.

"Until then, my king," Rhen proceeded to her child who was being carried by her nurse. "Oh, you will be grown when I return," she said fondly and placed a kiss on the little girl's forehead.

The entire court watched as she climbed the dragon and pulled at its bridle. "Thank you," she mouthed, her eyes fixed on her husband.

Dameon bowed.

"I will be back within a year!" She yelled as the dragon rose.

Well wishes and farewells were shouted at the air, but Dameon doubted Rhen heard them amid the beating of the beast's wings.


End file.
